Augsburg Student Body Bylaws
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All Article, Section, and Clause references refer to the Augsburg Student Body Constitution.

Article I. The Augsburg Student Body
1. In student elections, each member of the Student Body shall be entitled to one (1) vote in each constituency of which he/she is a member.
2. By referendum, the Student Body may rescind any action of the Student Body President or the Student Senate by a two-thirds (2/3) vote.
3. A petition given to the Student Body Vice President signed by ten (10) percent of the Student Body may call for a Student Body referendum.

Article II, Sec. 2. Recognized Club or Organizations.
1. The Student Senate shall have the responsibility to grant recognition to student groups and organizations on an annual basis. A written constitution must be submitted to the Chairperson of the Chartering Committee or the Student Body Vice President one (1) calendar week prior to the group's appearance at the Student Senate meeting.
2. The written document shall include:
a. Formal name of organization
b. Statement of purpose and objectives
c. Membership selection
d. Officers
e. Advisor
f. Financial projections
g. Amendments
3. In order to be considered a recognized organization, the group must be open to all Augsburg students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
4. If recognition is received, the group is responsible for reporting any changes in the original constitution to the Student Senate.
5. Once the recognition has been obtained, commissioned organizations will be required to present a statement of activities to the Student Senate once a year,. This presentation will be done in the fall and will include:
a. Officers or members in charge of the group
b. Proposed activities for the coming academic year

Article IV. Sec. 2, Cl. 1. Academic Requirements
1. The academic standing of all candidates and every member of the Augsburg College Student Government shall be verified at the beginning of each academic term (fall and spring semesters). Any violation will be reported to the Student Body Vice President.

Article IV. Sec. 4 Dismissal
1. Any Student Senate member who has exceeded his/her fourth unexcused absence from the Student Senate and/or committee meetings shall be automatically dismissed from the Student Senate. The office shall be declared vacant immediately.
2. An approved notification to the Student Senate Secretary shall constitute an excused absence from a Student Senate meeting and/or a committee meeting.
a. Grounds for an excused absence are illness, family emergency, and school activities approved by the Student Body Vice President.
b. Upon the third unexcused absence, the Student Senate Secretary must notify the Senator.
c. Two excused absences constitute one unexcused absence. (Senate, what do you think about this?)
3. When a Senator arrives at a Student Senate meeting after the completion of the Roll Call, he/she will be considered tardy. Tardiness constitutes one quarter of an unexcused absence.
a. With prior notice, tardiness can be excused without penalty at the discretion of the Vice President.
b. Senators may resign for any reason, effective until the next general election.

Article V. Sec. 2 The Executive Branch
1.
2. Each Executive Branch member shall fulfill his/her duties as laid out in his/her job description.

Article V. Sec. 5. The Student Body Secretary
1. The Student Body Secretary shall serve as a secretary to voting members of the Student Senate for correspondence pertaining to Student Senate business only. The Student Body Vice President shall determine what constitutes Student Senate business.
2. The Student Body Secretary shall distribute all minutes of the Student Senate meetings and agendas to all members of the Student Senate.
3. The Student Body Secretary shall post agendas at least 48 hours in advance of regularly scheduled senate meetings.

Article V. Sec. 5. The Student Body Treasurer
1. The Student Body Treasurer shall keep all financial records of the Student Government and shall submit written reports to the Student Senate at the last meeting of every month.
2. The Student Body Treasurer shall leave the financial records in the Business Office at the close of the school year for auditing.
3. The Student Body Treasurer shall be responsible for monitoring all financial transactions to ensure that money is handled in accordance with the Student Senate approved budget, the Student Body Constitution, the finance policy, and these bylaws.

Article VII. Sec. 3. Elections
1. All candidates, in order to appear on the ballot, shall be nominated by petition of thirty (30) names of the eligible voters of their respective constituencies. All petitions shall be submitted to the Student Government Office two (2) calendar weeks prior to the general election date. A personal description of each candidate's reason for seeking office shall be clearly stated on the petition before he/she may obtain constituents' signatures.
a. Weekend College petitions must be made available on the first weekend college weekend of Spring semester.
b. Day school petitions must be made available four weeks prior to the general election.
2. All elected members of the Augsburg College Student Government shall be elected in the general election to be held on the first weekend college weekend in March. Freshmen class representatives and representatives to other vacant offices shall be elected on thelast weekend college weekend in September. Vacancies shall be filled by runners-up from the most recent election, upon their acceptance. Runners-up must meet all eligibility requirements. If positions remain vacant, a special election shall be held .
a. The individuals who receive the four highest vote counts shall be the representatives.
b. Upon acceptance, the representative within each class, elected with the highest number of votes shall be the president of that class.
c. Upon acceptance, the weekend college representative elected with the highest number of votes shall be the Weekend College President.
d. The candidate receiving the most votes in each class may decline the position of class president without forfeiting a seat on the Student Senate. The position of class president will then be offered to the candidate with the next highest number of votes.
3.
4.
5. An Elections Committee, made up of a Chairperson and at least two assistants shall be appointed by the Student Body president and Vice President, subject to the approval of the Student Senate.
a. The Elections Committee Chairperson shall have full responsibility for interpretation of all election and campaign guidelines and regulations.
b. The Committee shall provide a meeting for all candidates at least two (2) class days preceding the official start of campaigning. At this meeting, election guidelines and regulations shall be distributed and discussed.
c. The Elections Committee Chairperson, his/her assistants, and any Student Senate members not seeking re-election shall conduct the actual voting and ballot-counting procedures.
d.
6. The voting poll hours shall be from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday and from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the Weekend College Saturday.
7. In the spring elections each voter shall receive a ballot with the presidential/vice presidential team(s) and any other ballot(s) with all other candidates or issues relevant to the individual voter.
a. Candidates shall be listed in complete, rotating order on the ballot(s).
b. If for some reason the election for one office is invalidated, only that office's election outcome shall not be counted.
c. A space on each election ballot shall be provided for write-in candidates. This shall consist of a blank line with the words "write-in" included.
d. If the Elections Committee Chairperson can clearly ascertain the voter's intention, that vote shall count.
e. Write-in absentee ballots shall be available one (1) calendar week prior to the general election and shall be hand placed into the ballot box by the voter or the Elections Committee Chair before the polls close on the day of the election.
f. The ballot box Shall be emptied of all contents immediately prior to the first election day. The box shall be kept locked in the Dean's office (?) during non-polling hours until the ballots are counted.
g. If any primary is necessary, absentee ballots for the office(s) shall be made available on the Monday prior to the primary election.
h. The Elections Committee Chairperson shall establish and maintain regular office hours during the election procedures.
8. Voting privileges shall be granted to any Augsburg Student who pays the Student Activity Fee.
a. Students returning to Augsburg the following fall will be allowed to participate in the spring elections.
b. Seniors that have applied for graduation prior to the date of elections will not be permitted to vote in the spring elections.
9. There will be no moving or touching of the cast ballots before the polls close, and then only a member of the Elections Committee may move them into the counting room.
a. After initial entry into the counting room by the ballot counters and candidate observers, there shall be no movement in or out of the room until all of the counting has been completed.
b. In the case of a two (2)-way tie, the representative/president shall be determined through a coin toss, excepting withdrawal. In the event of a multiple tie, a special election shall be held.
c. A minimum of four (4) votes shall be required in any election to gain office as a write-in candidate.
d. Upon completion of the counting, the Elections Committee Chairperson shall seal the ballots in an envelope(s) and place them directly in the Christensen Center safe to be opened only by instruction of the Judicial Council. The sealed envelope(s) shall be removed by the Elections Committee Chairperson or the Christensen Center manager.
e. Each of the presidential/vice presidential teams may have one candidate observer to witness the counting procedure.
f. Ballots shall be counted immediately follow the closing of polls the last day of voting.

Article VII. Sec. 3. Campaign Practices and Regulations
1. It is the responsibility of all candidates to obtain and abide by the most recent Augsburg Posting Policies found at the Information Desk in Christensen Center.
a. A maximum of fifteen (15) posters are permitted in Augsburg public areas. Any item larger than (450 in2) shall constitute a poster.
b. Each presidential/vice presidential team that wins the primary election shall be allowed one banner visible in the Quad, one banner visible in Christensen Center and one display in the Christensen Center. Any item larger than (2000 in2) shall constitute a banner.
2. All general mailroom regulations shall be followed throughout the campaigns. Each presidential/vice presidential team shall be allowed three (3) Campus Box stuffs. Other candidates will be allowed two (2) Campus Box stuffs. Campus Box stuffs must be performed by mailroom employees, according to mailroom guidelines.
3. Canvassing of Student Residences
a. The candidate shall be present at all times during any canvassing with a maximum of three (3) campaign workers allowed to accompany the candidate.
b. Access of a candidate to any private residence may be denied by an individual resident.
c. Candidates canvassing in Mortensen Tower, Urness Tower, New Hall, or Anderson Hall shall obtain approval from the Head Resident of that residence to canvas.
4. Fund-raiser for any Presidential/Vice Presidential teams are allowed. The specific candidate(s) for whom the money is being raised shall be clearly and obviously labeled in advertisement and at the actual event.
5. All write-in candidates shall follow all regulations and election guidelines.
6. The Finance Committee shall reimburse (upon presentation of receipts) up to $125 to each Presidential/Vice Presidential team in the general election to defray campaign expenses.
7. Prior to the opening of polls, all campaign information and paraphernalia must be removed from Christensen Center.
a. Removal must be performed by the candidate or people assigned by the candidate.
b. Removal must be complete one hour prior to the opening of the polls.
8. During polling hours candidates are not allowed to campaign within Christensen Center.
9. Any violation(s) of these election guidelines shall result in disciplinary action as deemed necessary by the elections committee not to exceed prohibition from office. Any decision made by the Elections Committee may be appealed to the Judicial Council in the same manner as a contested election.

Article VII. Sec. 3. Contested Election
1. The party contesting an election shall submit a request for a hearing to the Judicial Council within five (5) class days following the general election. In the request, the contesting party shall provide rationale for contesting the election.
2. If the Judicial Council agrees to hear the case, the Judicial Council shall have an initial hearing within five (5) class days following the receipt of the request.
3. Within four (4) class days of the initial hearing, the Judicial Council shall hold a final hearing and announce a final decision within twenty-four (24) hours.
4. In the event of a contested election, the Student Government seat in question shall remain open. Should a Presidential/Vice Presidential team be unable to take office because of a contested election case, the former Student Body President and Vice President shall remain in the office until the case is resolved.
5.
6. Should the Judicial Council call for a new election, the new election shall be held within one (1) calendar week from the day it was determined a new election was necessary.

Article VIII. Sec. 2. The Student Senate
1. The Student Senate shall have the authority to grant or rescind official recognition of student organizations.
2. The Student Senate shall have the authority to organize any committee as deemed necessary. Student Senate shall establish the following standing committees: Chartering, Concerns, Constitution, Convocation, Elections, Finance, and Publicity.
3. The Student Senate Finance Committee shall be established.
a. The membership of the Finance Committee shall consist of the Student Body Treasurer, one (1) incumbent representative, the presidents of each class, the Weekend College President, the Weekend College Representative who receives the highest number of votes behind the President and accepts he position, and the Student Body President.
b. The Student Body Treasurer shall be the chairperson.
c. The Finance Committee shall meet at the discretion of the Chairperson or at the request of the majority of the Student Senate voting members.
d. To receive a budget allocation, commissioned organizations shall submit a budget request along with the group's written objectives for the year by the date specified by the Student Body Executive Branch.
e. The Student Senate Finance Committee shall review all budget requests received in the spring and make recommendations to the Student Senate. The Finance Committee shall report the status of the commissioned organizations' budgets to the Senate again in the fall .
f. The Finance Committee shall monitor the financial transactions, of the Student Government to insure that all Student Government moneys are spent in accordance with the Student Senate approved budget and the Finance Policy.
g.
h. All changes in budget allocations shall be submitted to the Finance Committee, who shall make recommendations to the Student Senate.
i. The Finance Committee shall audit all Student Government Organizations at least once a year. This audit shall include a complete inventory of all properties owned by, or in possession of, the Augsburg College Student Government. This audit shall occur before the spring budget process and reported to the Student Senate.
j. The Finance Committee shall report any financial irregularities immediately to the Student Senate so further investigation may begin.
k. The Finance Committee shall abide by all standing finance policies of Augsburg College.

Article VII. Sec. 5. Membership
1. No one commissioned by the Student Government may be a member of the Judicial Council.

Article VII. Sec. 6. Meetings of the Student Senate
1. Any member of the Student Body shall have the right to attend meetings of the Student Senate.
2.
3. There shall be meetings of the ASGA weekly during the academic year, except during school breaks, the date and time of which shall be determined by a majority vote of the Student Senate to be taken at the first meeting of Senate after the Spring elections.
4. The Vice President shall have the authority, with good reason, to cancel or postpone a meeting of the Student Senate.
5. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the Chairperson of the Student Senate, the Student Body President, or by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Student Senate. These meetings shall be conducted as a regular meeting.

Article VI. Sec. 1. Commissions
1. At least once a semester, each Commissioner shall report to the Student Senate on actual and planned activities in their respective Student Government Commission.
2. Monthly commission reports and treasurer reports shall be submitted, by each commissioner, to the Student Body President and Student Body Treasurer respectively, by the date specified by the Student Government Executive Branch.

3/93
Revised April 1993 H. L. Wisner
Revised 3/96 S. M. Miller
Revised 11/96 Arlo Miller
Revised 10/02 Bredesen, Mahle, Woodroffe, Xiong